Mudhouse Sabbath: An Invitation to a Life of Spiritual Disciplines (Pocket Classics).
This short, simple book brings ancient practices to life with ease, meaning and reverence. Winner is both humble and practical, sharing her knowledge and first-hand experiences with the spiritual disciplines described in the book while keeping her focus on grace. For those who are curious about biblical disciplines, this book is a very nice introduction and gives room for thought and discussion. Readers are left to apply the truths, not just practices or traditions, which makes it a good book for groups or friends to read together. As with Winner’s other books, the honesty and sound doctrine encourage those who want to live out their faith in real ways, not just intellectualize or imagine their beliefs. See details
Archive for the 'Jewish Life' Category
Essential Judaism: A Complete Guide to Beliefs, Customs & Rituals.
Ten years ago, Robinson entered a Reform synagogue for the first time since adolescence. He became an active congregant, but he discovered in his reincorporation of certain rituals and practices that he “was often baffled” by what occurred in the synagogue. This expansive tome attempts to provide the essentials of Judaism for novices, outsiders and those who, like Robinson, rediscovered their heritage as adults. It’s an excellent introductory resource, vast but accessibly organized. Robinson first covers the most ritually significant Jewish prayers and walks the reader through a typical Shabbat service. He presents the basic facts about holidays and the Jewish calendar, then explores Jewish life-cycle rituals from bris to burial and includes a catch-all chapter on other practices such as Kashrut. By beginning with Jewish practice, rather than history or law, Robinson centers the core of Judaism in everyday life. The book’s second half is a whirlwind tour of Torah and Talmud, Kabbalah and Jewish philosophers, with a key explanatory chapter on historical developments such as Hasidism and Zionism. Notably absent is the history of the Holocaust and the founding of Israel; Robinson notes that the Judaica sections of most bookstores already overflow with such historical information, and he explores instead the scope of Jews’ reactions to those events. This is a valuable, sensitive one-volume guide to Jewish practice. See details
In The Book of Jewish Values, Rabbi Joseph Telushkin has combed the Bible, the Talmud, and the whole spectrum of Judaism’s sacred writings to give us a manual on how to lead a decent, kind, and honest life in a morally complicated world. Telushkin speaks to the major ethical issues of our time, issues that have, of course, been around since the beginning. He offers one or two pages a day of pithy, wise, and easily accessible teachings designed to be put into immediate practice. The range of the book is as broad as life itself:
The first trait to seek in a spouse (Day 17). When, if ever, lying is permitted (Days 71-73). Why acting cheerfully is a requirement, not a choice (Day 39). What children don’t owe their parents (Day 128). Whether Jews should donate their organs (Day 290). An effective but expensive technique for curbing your anger (Day 156). How to raise truthful children (Day 298). What purchases are always forbidden (Day 3)
In addition, Telushkin raises issues with ethical implications that may surprise you, such as the need to tip those whom you don’t see (Day 109), the right thing to do when you hear an ambulance siren (Day 1), and why wasting time is a sin (Day 15). Whether he is telling us what Jewish tradition has to say about insider trading or about the relationship between employers and employees, he provides fresh inspiration and clear guidance for every day of our lives. See details
